The End of Me
by DreamingOfNeverland
Summary: Marlene Mckinnon had faced death many times in the past three years. She had seen the death of others, fought to prevent the death of strangers, and almost sacrificed herself for those that she loved. But now she can't see the escape route, and of course the last thing to cross her mind would be a idiotic boy with wit and charm to match her own.
1. Chapter 1

Fighting my way to the front of the house, towards the screams I hoped that they got here soon. I had sent my patronus, telling everyone in The Order that they were here while Dad, Mark, Annie, Tom, and Mary fought at the front of the house and my mum shielded the children. I needed to get to them, I needed to help them; I was the one that had caused this.

As I ran over the hidden panel in the floor, I could hear little baby Lucy crying and my mother tried to shush her. Kicking open the door, I just caught sight of Annie getting hit with a curse and crumpling to the ground and quickly flicked my wand at the masked Death Eater, sending them flying back.

"Annie!" My brother Mark shouted for his wife but it was too late. The unseeing look in her eye told the whole story.

"Not now!" I ordered, because I loved her, I truly did but he had two children down there and now wasn't the time to mourn for his wife. As if to prove my point, I quickly threw up a shield in front of both of us right as another curse flew at us and turned my attention to the Death Eater. This weekend was supposed to be a good day. We were supposed to be celebrating my mum and dad's wedding anniversary.

Just then a curse flew out of now where and my last second shield wasn't near up to par with it as I went flying through the air, my shoulder crunching against the side of the house before I crumpled to the ground. Groaning, my vision blurry, I struggled to get up and just caught sight of Tom and my Dad also lying on the ground. It was all ending to fast. Dumbledore probably hadn't even gotten it yet. I had to hold out a little longer then all of them would be here.

Flipping onto my stomach, I pushed up with my wand arm, the other hanging painfully at my side and still kneeling I threw a spell to the group of Death Eaters ganging up on Mark and Mary. I was too late though, even with taking out three of them, I watched as they fell. There were too many.

I just caught sight of the flash as pain erupted all over my body as I once again crumpled onto the ground. Unable to hold back the scream, I struggled to keep hold of my wand let alone focus on who was giving the curse when that laugh sounded. It was easy to pin point even though I had only heard it twice before, but that crazed cackle was hard to forget.

After what felt like hours but wasn't more than a minute the torture stopped and I just knew that both Mary and Mark were gone; I could just feel it. And if that weren't enough the sound of the door being blasted open was the literal nail in the coffin.

Fighting the pain though out my whole body, I raised my wand but with the combination from my lack of strength, to my utter lack of will as I heard the shout of my mother, it easily flew from my hand as a masked figure moved above me. Narrowing my eyes up to them, I glared as they stooped down beside me and with a curved, manicured fingernail moved the strands from my already bloodied face.

"I'm going to leave you where my cousin is sure to see you," Bellatrix sneered from behind the skeleton mask. And unable to help it, I let out a groan as my broken arm flailed backwards while she raised me up into the air. Moving me right to the middle of the path leading up to the front door, I was able to catch a glimpse inside, the flash of green, and my mother's shout cutting off as screams from the children filled the air. "Stand up," she sneered and while I didn't want to obey, I also didn't want to die on the ground with my eyes closed in fear. So, as she set my feet on the ground I stood there, prepared to die.

"You'll get yours, Bellatrix," I whispered and watched as he lips curved into a cruel smile. "You all will."

"But, that not today," She whispered back almost is a sweet way.

Looking to her blankly, I realized I knew that this day was going to come sooner or later and as she raised her wand, I didn't so much feel fear but sadness. Sadness for all that I was leaving behind.

Then, as if a spell, I just felt everything slow down. I watched as the words formed on her uncovered lips and the green light formed at the end of the wand and instantly I went back to where it all began.

oOo

Steadying the camera in my hands, I looked down through the viewer to all the muggles and wizards milling around King's Cross. Most of the time it was easy to pick out the wizards from the muggles because, despite the rules, or even when they were trying to go by the rules there was a usually an out of place piece of clothing.

As I stood here, leaning up against the wall I had already see a man wearing a pair of woman's pants, which were too short for him and also a woman wearing a bathrobe as a jumper. Though, truthfully the muggles didn't notice or just brushed the crazy outfits and trolleys full of trunks and odd pets before continuing on with their busy lives.

Flipping the lever up to prime the shutter, I focused in on my favorite thing to shoot. Just a boy and a girl running into each other in their busy lives, and I like to imagine that both of them say sorry at the same time and smile to each other, beginning their lives together; happy mishaps as I like to call them. Though, after I closed that shutter, capturing the brush of hands and connection of eyes, they always just went their separate ways. But, it was fun to dream of something so amazing in these times. Who knows, this might be the last picture one of them ever has taken before they just disappear like so many muggles were now a days.

Winding up the wizard film to the next spot, I looked down through the view finder once again but unfortunately found something I didn't want to. A devilishly handsome guy with chin length black hair, gorgeous piercing grey eyes, tall, lean, and muscular, and he was made even more attractive by the new stubble that seemed to be appearing over his cheeks and jaw. He was of course walking with his best friend, James Potter, a handsome guy with black hair and hazel eyes that were framed by wire glasses, taller than all his friends and nicely muscled from his time on the pitch. But, while James was handsome for some reason I didn't find him to be that kind of handsome. The kind that made my stomach churn and heart pick up; no that was reserved for the dark looks of Sirius Black. Besides, even if I did look at James that way, I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole because of one of my closest friends, Lily Evans.

Now, Lily of course didn't want to touch him with a ten foot pole either, however there was just something between them that sort of made this connection. He had professed his undying love at least once a week all last year and she shot him down with some name calling, silence, or—my favorite—a jinx. I liked to call it a happy mishap in the making.

"Moony!" Just then, with a shout from James, they caught up to the other two and reunited the foursome, known as the Marauders all around Hogwarts. The other two, as with the previous two were handsome but not as much as Sirius or James. Remus, truthfully would have been a lot more handsome if it weren't for the scars that went over the side of his neck and when you could see them, on his arms. People didn't really pay attention to them a lot of the time, the excuse of an accident at home and just general mishaps put people off his trail. Though, being in the same house, same year and sort of friends I had figured it out in second year what was happening, along with Lily too, I think, because she didn't really question it much when Remus didn't turn up to class, but we didn't discuss it.

I just figured that with Dumbledore most likely monitoring everything, I didn't see a reason to make a deal out of it. I don't even think that he or any of the four knew that we knew. But still, with his sort of floppy brown hair and friendly green eyes, he was still boyishly handsome.

Lastly, and usually…and sadly…last in the group was Peter. The shortest—even shorter than myself—with sort of watery blue eyes and mousy brown hair, and less muscular compared to the other boys but not really chubby. He was sort of what some considered the tag along, someone that agreed instantly with Sirius and James on everything, clapping along with both their antics. Though, I don't think that they saw him as most others did.

Unable to help it, I snapped the shutter on the reunion and as if that click was amplified, he looked across the train station right to where I was leaning back against the wall beside my trolley. Not looking up to him, I just connected with him through the finder at the top as he started over to me, getting looks from the other three.

Biting the inside of my lip slightly, I felt that well in the pit of my stomach as his smile turned to that sort of crooked smirk, and I couldn't help but notice that he actually looked better than he usually did when coming back from summer break. Closing the shutter one last time, I caught him mid stride then turned back to my trolley with a straight face. Quickly pulling the lanyard over my head, I put the camera back into its leather box and into my satchel that was sitting on top of my trunk. Then before he could get to me, I continued towards the platform.

Cautioning a look over my shoulder, I just caught him paused and gave a shrug before turning back to his chuckling friends. Turning back around, I just continued on and with a glance around, moved through the barrier and onto the busy platform. There was a good thirty minutes before the train left, meaning that a good chunk of the people around were parents with their younger students. Not really wanting to be caught in the rush, I started on and grabbed a compartment in the usual car after scanning for Lily, Mary, Adelaide, and Orla my roommates and best friends though truthfully I was closest with Mary. Though, after this summer I had gotten a lot closer with Lily as well, because our biggest cause for differences had been…well you could say eliminated after OWLs.

Storing my trunk, I settled back on the bench with my satchel and pulled my photo book out of my satchel, I decided to try and catch up on placing my photographs from the summer into it. It had been a busy one that mostly revolved around the marriage of the oldest of the three of us, Mark, to Annie his Hogwarts sweetheart. Both having met in their third year, him a Ravenclaw and she a Hufflepuff, and just like her house would dictate she was one of the sweetest people you would ever meet. Though, that was a trait that sometimes got on my nerves.

Despite that though, the wedding had been a wonderful affair that took advantage of an old 18th century estate that had been refurbished; it fit in perfectly with the muggle traditions since Annie's mother was one. And, throughout the whole thing, while a muggle photographer had been taking their still pictures I had the thing documented in moving ones. I got both of them kissing for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. McKinnon, Annie smashing cake into Mark's face, their twirl onto the dance floor and more. I just had to put it all into my new photobook for this year that would just add to the others from every year since my first year at Hogwarts. Now, of course those pictures back then were far worse and fewer than what I put in there today but a slightly blurry photo of either the guys or us girls was still better than none.

Just then the compartment door slid open and a smiling Lily moved in. "Hey Marls, you're here early," She grinned to me while plopping down beside.

"Yeah, Mum and Dad are going on a belated anniversary trip starting today, so I just told them to drop me off here," I shrugged as I carefully adhered the photo of Mark anxiously standing up at the front of the aisle to the left upper corner of one of the white matte pages.

"Mark's wedding?" She questioned and reached over and took one of the separated stacks, thumbing through them.

"Yeah," I grinned and moved the stack of pictures between us.

"She looks so pretty," She smiled, picking up one of the pictures of Annie at the reception and I nodded in agreement. Fitting her slim physique she had worn a simple sheath style, silk dress with lace overlays and her dark brown hair lightly curled. She looked the perfect image of a bride.

Adhering the picture of her walking down the aisle with her father beside to the bottom left of the same page with Mark, I just caught sight of another at the door out of the corner of my eye and glanced up to see yet another Black. Regulus Black, one year younger than his brother and almost an identical twin in looks (maybe a bit les handsome), but not in personality; he was just looking at me as his group of friends passed by. Raising an eyebrow to him, I turned my attention fully to him and quickly he turned away and followed behind the other snakes.

Sharing a confused look with Lily, I just shook it off to weird Slytherin behavior and continued on with the photos as she moved over onto the other bench to continue looking through some of the pictured.

"How was your summer?" I asked, glancing over to her.

"It was pretty quiet without Petunia, besides the week that you were there it was mostly just my parents and me. We went to France for a few weeks," She shrugged with a smile. "It was nice. Oh," She suddenly paused and looked over. "I forgot to ask after you left, did your Grandparents end up moving to Banchory?"

"Oh, no their still in Montrose, I don't think my grandmother is ready to leave the coast and settle inland for the nice quiet life, especially now that my Dad is talking about moving back to there." At that she raised an eyebrow to me. "Well mum's guest professor spot at Queen Mary's is ending next year after I graduate and Dad can write from anywhere." I shrugged. We had moved to London in my second year after Mum decided to get back into teaching since all of us were in school and she, as she put it, 'almost clawed her eyes out in boredom during my first year.'

"That'll be a change after living here for the past four years," She hummed just as the door opened once again. Just then, in walked Orla Burges, Mary Macdonald and Adelaide Vance and with that, our conversation shut off for more talk of what they had done over the summer and what we had gotten on our OWls.


	2. Chapter 2

"Lilypad," James voice called as he moved up behind where she was sitting, across from me at the Gryffindor table for the Start of Term Feast and watched as her smile from Orla's story instantly fell.

"I told you to stop calling me that, Potter," She glared across Addie as he sat down beside her, pinning her in between the two, a spot that all of us had been in before, including the guys. Leaving it alone, he turned to Remus who settled down on his other side and just shaking my head slightly, I was just about to turn back to Orlie who was sitting beside me when I felt someone sit down beside me. It was almost like my body knew it before my mind as I picked up that familiar scent and glanced over to see Sirius sit down beside me with Peter on his other side.

Instantly that crooked smirk that he had at the train station came back and my straight face turned into a glare. Heaving a sigh, I scooted over a few more inches as Orlie gave me more room and worked to give my attention back to the girls, going for the freeze out technique, but it didn't seem that it was going to work.

"So," Orla continued, "I'm stuck there in Naples. Who knows where, I don't know a bit of Italian when, I swear, some sort of Adonis comes out of the wood work, we talked, and had gelato, then he showed me back to the hotel. And, you guys, I'm not exaggerating. He was gorgeous, dark hair, tan, fit for days. Amazing."

"Well, what happened," Mary asked with a laugh.

"That's the amazing thing, Mac. Absolutely nothing," instantly all our smiles fell.

"Pardon?" I asked incredulously.

"It was over, we talked and walked that one day. One glorious day of fun, then nothing," She smiled and with all of us giving mixtures of sighs, our hopes also fell.

"And here I thought that Marls and I had finally dragged you to the other side," Mac huffed.

"No, no," She fought against our groans," you guys don't get it. I had an epiphany. You see the only way to get hurt is to go past that. See, you get past that first stage of meeting someone and having fun, and then it gets complicated. I had this amazing day, with an amazing boy which nothing was going to come out of, because let's face it, I live in Ireland and he lives in Italy. So, why take it any further."

I wished that I could have fought against that hope, just as Mac, Addie and Lil were doing at the moment but as I felt the back of a hand move over my leg I could help but agree a bit. After all just last year I had let things get very complicated.

oOo

"_We have to get back to the Great Hall, the others are going to notice," I whispered but weakly as his skilled lips moved across my neck, sucking just over my collar bone. _

"_You're the one that signaled me. Besides the guys already think that I'm doing this," He murmured and quickly I pulled out of the haze and pushed him back slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Well not with you," He chuckled and moved back in, though a bit fiercer. Moaning slightly, I gripped onto his shoulders and stumbled back so my back was against the wall of the broom closet as his hands started to roam, moving one down to my thigh as the other tangled up into my hair. Well in sync from plenty of practice we both brought our lips together in a deep kiss as I hitched my leg up over his hip. _

"_But my friends just think I've gone to the restroom," I breathed out trying to stop what was happening right there but as his hand moved up higher under my skirt and gripped onto the bare thigh I reached around, grabbing onto the back of his neck and pulled him closer. _

"_Why does it matter what they think?" He rushed out in a breath as he moved his other hand down to the other thigh and with ease picked me up and pinned me against the wall._

"_Because, you're the playboy and I'm not supposed to like you," I smirked against his lips as I wrapped my legs around his waist. _

"_But you do like me," He responded with a smirk of his own. _

_Giggling slightly, I shrugged, "I like parts of you." _

"_We are talking far too much," He murmured and I let out another soft giggled as he started trailing kisses down my neck to the opening over my white button down, my tie, robe, and jumper already on the ground with his own blazer, robe and tie. Just then he started kissing and sucking lightly on the swell of my breast, and with that I gave in. With a small gasp and moan, I succumbed to the powers of Sirius Black, just as I had been doing the whole summer._

oOo

Reaching down, I grabbed hold of his hand and squeezed it a little harder than necessary, causing my nails to dig in, before putting it on the bench between us. I didn't satisfy him with a look and just kept my eyes on the girls as they continued arguing with Orla in between laughs, though I was dying to glare at him and just shout at him for even thinking that it was alright to try our old signal on me—a brush of the back of the hand.

Just then all conversation was stopped as the doors opens and professor McGonagall started in with the scared, excited, overall quivering first years who stared all around and up to the ceiling with amazement like all of us had. How naïve they all were. This was the beginning of growing up right here and a good chunk of them weren't going to have it as easy as they thought it would be. But right now, they got their naivety and chance to wonder at all the new sights as they got their time up there with the hat and the stool before joining their new family.

After the sorting, speech from Dumbledore, and feast I went back to the tower with Orlie, Mac, and Addie while Lil escorted the first years with the rest of the prefects, including Remus. Evidentially the hand squeeze had warded Sirius off because he didn't make another move or unwanted look for the entire night, even when we all sat down by the fire after the feast. We didn't stay down there for long though, we had just been waiting for Lily to get done with prefect duties, so maybe it was just a bruised ego and he hadn't bounced back. After that we all moved up to our new dorm which looked like our old door, though it was higher up in the tower.

Walking in, I moved to the bed my stuff was already set by. The house elves after first year seemed to automatically set us up the way we liked, with me closest to the door, then Mac, Lil, Orlie, and Addie in a circle. Flipping open my trunk, I grabbed the flannel pants and long sleeved t-shirt out to change into for bed, which all of them seemed eager for. I on the other hand just wasn't too tired, so despite having classes the next day when they were all asleep, I moved down stairs into the empty common room with my pictures, camera and photo album.

Setting them all out on the table I knelt down on the floor between it and the couch and continued placing the few pictures from Mark's wedding in there before moving onto my camera. Well practiced, I grabbed my wand and one at a time, started transferring the negatives onto the sheets of photo paper. It was a lot easier than the muggle technique of using developing liquid and dark rooms, but wasn't an easy bit of magic which was why a bunch of my photos from my early days were crooked or blurry.

It wasn't until I was 14 that Mark, the magnificent big brother he was, brought me into the prophet with him for work one day during the summer and I had a sort of one day internship in the photography office; from then on the pictures where straight and clear, unless I wanted them to be different. Now, the actual photographs weren't perfect sometimes, but, hey, that happened.

Just then, I heard a shuffle on the boys stairs, and what do you know I found the annoyance at the foot of them. Heaving a sigh, I just went back to touching up the picture of a pair I had snapped at the train station and worked to ignore him as he walked over to sit down opposite me at the table.

"Mark got married?" he asked in surprise, flipping the book around and back through the pages. Unable to help it I casted a glare at him; I had told him at least a handful of times that they were getting married this summer. "Geeze," He cringed, "I was joking. I remembered that he as."

Rolling my eyes, I just let out a scoff.

"I was; I have a wonderful memory. In fact I remember you telling about the argument they had over Christmas about dishes or something." At that I was surprised. I mean it was about the table settings, though I doubted many remembered that I had talked about it on the train ride back. "Just like I was joking at the feast."

"Well, I don't find either of them funny," I actually spoke to him for the first time since the beginning of OWLs.

"Obviously, you almost broke my hand, and you drew blood," He raised an eyebrow to me and in annoyance I shook my head before grabbing the book back, placing it on the floor beside me. "Come on, Marly," He sighed.

"What?"

"We're far to packed in here to be fighting like this," He frowned. "I mean, James and Lily already make it difficult. Two more at odds just makes it practically impossible." Biting the inside of my lip slightly, I continued on taking the next photograph, of him and the guys off the negative and placing it on the photo parchment. He was right. I mean Hogwarts was huge, but with so many classes together and living in this little space it wasn't really plausible to act like this. Leaning down, I blew on the picture lightly as he continued looking at me, and then with a tap of my wand I coated it so it shined like a usual photograph. Taking the roll of negatives, I placed it into the empty canister and then gathered everything else up before standing.

But before I started back upstairs I carefully took the picture of him and James greeting Remus and Peter and passed it over. "Consider it a peace offering," I stated as he took it and smiled. With that I started back over to the stairs.

"Does this mean we're back to where we were?" He asked with that crooked smirk as I looked back to him.

"Sirius, we'll never be back there," I answered softly, because I was just too tired of this to feel angry and watched as his smirk fell. "Let's just say that we're working towards friends again." At that the smirk came back a little bit, but that spark didn't and I couldn't feel sorry for that. He knew that he had hurt me; he knew why were like this and it had been his fault. I wasn't about to feel guilty for that.

Soon after that, I fell asleep and at 7:00 I woke up to hop in the shower. By 8:00, I was ready with my normal natural makeup that didn't even come close to covering up my freckles, my blond waves up in a ponytail, a pair of black tights and black oxfords along with my normal uniform.

Having taken OWLs for Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, along with the core subjects, I was pleased to have passed all of them, even if I did get an A in Divination and Astronomy, but the O's in Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, and Herbology made up for that, leaving just Care of Magical Creatures and Potions with and E. The Potions I had been ecstatic to get too, because I had figured that I was just going to squeak out an A on that, though evidentially the extra study sessions with Sirius, before everything, had benefitted.

"What do you have, today?" Mac asked me as I moved past McGonagall, schedule in hand.

"Umm," I scanned over it. "Defense this morning at with double potions after Lunch." It was by far my favorite timetable for the mornings because, except for Friday I didn't have a single class until 10, and on Mondays—today—I didn't have class until 11. After Lunch was a little different, full of double NEWT classes, except for Tuesday when I didn't have a single double class, but still it allowed for a lot of breaks, which my brother and sister had pointed out would most likely be filled with studying by the end.

"Why are you taking Herbology, COMC, and Potions?" Mac questioned as we sat down at the table, having looked over.

"Because I need some classes," I laughed slightly, though truthfully I didn't need any to be a photographer. Though I wanted to take core classes just for protection mainly, and I liked Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration. The main reason that I was taking Potions, COMC, and Herbology though was because it was good to have them under your belt for photography and while the Prophet didn't require them, they looked for them: Care of Magical Creatures, because if I were to go out to photograph dragons or something, I would want to know what to look out for and the same reason for Herbology. Potions though, was because some film requires a potion to develop in the right way, so it was good to know how to make or even create one.

Tucking it into my robe pocket, I started in on breakfast; grabbing some eggs, mushrooms, and toast. "Always the same," Sirius suddenly appeared, whispering into my ear and I glanced over as he sat down beside me. Why he had to sit beside me when the rest of the guys were sitting a couple seats down the table, I don't know.

"New friends don't whisper in each other's ear," I murmured, continuing on with my breakfast when I felt a hand in my robe pocket. Before I could slap his hand away, he already had my timetable out and was comparing it with his own.

"I see that extra studying benefited," he grinned.

Pursing my lips slightly, I mumbled out a, "yes, thank you."

"No problem, friend," he grinned and handed it back before starting to pile food on his plate.

"How did you're OWLs go?" I decided to play into this friendly thing.

"Great, six O's and three E's," he answered with a grin and I restrained the anger I felt at that. Because, did he study for any of those, except for Muggle Studies? Most likely not. He was just a freaking genius that didn't even appreciate his gifts. I had to study day and night to get the letters I wanted.

"What classes are you taking?" I tried to continue on with the conversation, just like I would have any other day for the past five years and he handed over his schedule. It was mostly the same, as all our schedules were, except that he didn't have Care of Magical Creatures and instead had Muggle Studies. "Still taking Muggle Studies I see," I teased slightly.

"Yeah, but it's mostly that I find it interesting now, since I moved out," He chuckled and at that I finally got why he looked a little different, less weighed down.

Giving a smile, I didn't even have to try to continue the conversation. "Move in with James?" I asked and he gave a smile and nod. "That's great, Sirius."

"Yup, now there's no reason for you to worry about me, Marls. I know you did," he teased and I felt my cheeks tinge red slightly.

"Oh shut it, you tosser," I sighed and turned my attention back to my meal as I tossed his timetable onto his plate. Unsatisfyingly so, he just chuckled and tucked it into his robe pocket, continuing on with his breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3

By eleven, Lil, Mac, and I were queued up in the line outside of the, Defense Against the Dark Arts, classroom with a number of others, both Orlie and Addie not making the cut with a 'Acceptable,' but it appeared some rather unsavory others had: Slytherins, including Snivellus. However, I'm sure that they were more interested in the specific dark arts portion more than the defense.

"Fantastic, Snivellus is here," James remarked semi-quietly as he joined up but it was loud enough to be heard by the group of Sytherin's, most likely what he wanted.

"Watch it, Potter," Snape bit back, just igniting laughter from James, Sirius, and Peter while Remus as always just let them have their fun and in this case I was alright with that, as I usually was.

"What? Have a new curse that you want to give to me?" James continued, poking at a sore spot because while Snape of course had magnificent skills in dreaming up new curses it always backfired on him because he would try to use them on James. He would then fire them back on the creator, just embarrassing Snape more. But, thankfully Professor Durbin opened the door just before either could pull out their wands. Being the excellent friend I was, I took the position of the third wheel and let Lily and Mac sit at one of the desks together and started getting my parchment and book out when with a knock the bench jolted slightly.

"Ow," my desk mate groaned and I looked up to see a Hufflepuff that I had seen before but didn't know his name.

"You alright, there?" I restrained a chuckle as he limped slightly into position before sitting down.

"Oh, yeah," I could see a light blush form, despite his dark skin which made me think that if I had given it, I would have been bright red. "Just caught my toe on the edge." Giving a small smile and nod, I went back to pulling out my ink and quill. "I'm Daniel Gordon," he greeted.

"Marlene," I smiled.

"I know," He shot out immediately then seemed to instantly regret it by the cringe. "It's just that you're pretty popular," he explained and giving a small giggle at just his overall awkwardness, I nodded.

"It's nice to meet you," I cut him off and with a smile he turned back to the other side and started pulling out his things before giving a poorly hidden sigh. Biting my lips together, I restrained another chuckle but behind me one came out. Flipping around slightly, I spotted Sirius sitting with Remus and while Remus was just hiding a small smile, Sirius wasn't even bothering to hide his chuckles. Narrowing my eyes to him slightly I flipped back around and it didn't take long for Professor Durbin to pick up the lesson.

"In the world today, nothing could be more beneficial than being well prepared to defend yourself against the dark arts," She addressed, moving down the aisle between the desks. "Inferi, Dementors, The Unforgivable Curses, these are just some of the things that you could encounter out there. This year you will learn about all of them, along with the beneficial uses of the nonverbal spell."

Continuing on with walking back up through the other aisles, she prepped us on what exactly you needed to do to cast a nonverbal spell. It seemed to me that it wasn't going to be nearly as easy as she made it seem. It was something that was proved just a few minutes later as we moved into the practical portion of the lesson and broke up into pairs. Prepared to shield any spell that Daniel fired at me, I waited and waited though he looked more like he was going to be sick than actually fire something. All around others were getting off spells, either by cheating or just the force of instinct, the latter of which I did as he whispered out a disarming charm and I in turn threw up a verbal shield, causing Daniel to fall back onto his butt.

"Sorry," I cringed slightly as I jogged forward and offered him a hand up.

"Clear your mind, everyone," Professor Durbin called out and focusing back in I tried but instantly it stopped as I watched in annoyance as Sirius gave an almost perfect shield for Remus' charm, sending him stumbling back. "Wonderful Mr. Black. Twenty points to Gryffindor," She complimented as she passed and he gave that cocky smile.

By the end of the hour, I had managed to just get out a shield, but it didn't even affect Daniel, while James, Remus, Lily, and even Snape had it down to the level of causing their opponent to stumble back, just like Sirius. Though my weakling one was better than most in the class, so I was happy about it.

After class, I filled my time with Lily, while Mac went to ancient runes, starting our work that Professor Durbin had assigned in the common room until starting down to the Great Hall for lunch and then back up to the Common Room to finish up and help Mac start. Then it was time for Potions with Slughorn and the lesson that everyone looked forward to for the first five years of potions. It was something to try and encourage the students to do well on their OWLs and since the beginning it had been a main motivation for me to get there.

Walking in with Lil, I quickly noticed though that not as many people that hoped to make it into the class did. There were only two Hufflepuffs, five Raveclaws, and four Slytherins and then us, but that was soon to change as I heard somewhat distinct laughter coming down the hall and our group of two Gryffindor's became five.

"Evans," James smiled as he spotted us this time, instead of setting in on Snape standing over to the side with Avery, Lestrange, and Berrow. "You know I didn't get the chance to tell you this morning, but you look amazing today, as you always do."

"You mean you didn't get the chance to point it out, because you were too busy fighting?" Lily shot out, raising an eye brow to him. "Typical Potter." Putting my head down to strain the chuckle I leaned back against the wall to get out of their eye line.

"I've told you, one little date and you'll have my full attention," he bantered with a crooked smile.

Letting out a scoff she flipped around to look at him full on and I attempted to melt into the wall more. There was no use in trying to escape, many times someone had attempted to try before (including myself) and you just got pushed back into your place by one of them. "And I've told you that I wouldn't go on a date with you if it was between you and a dementor," She spat out.

"Actually I believe it was the giant squid," James corrected just infuriating her more.

"Anyways, who would want to have your full attention?" She glared.

Pursing his lips, he seemed to be contemplating it before responding, "I could name a fair number of girls." Then he actually had the audacity to look over to the group of Ravenclaws, which I had been avoiding for one particular reason and winked at the two girls. As usual, they burst into twitty giggles and I just glanced up to James incredulously. Did he really think that this would work? He had been pursuing this for a year and he still knew nothing about her.

Thankfully, again, the door opened before wands were pulled out and leading with his large belly, Slughorn welcomed us into the mist filled potions room. "Now then, scales out everyone, and potions kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making." He announced as he moved up the center of the room and we all dispersed to tables. Looking around while we took one of the four tables, I glanced over the three mystery potions which he changed every year, with one prize at the front of the class on his desk in a little crystal capsule.

As I pulled out my supplies, I tried to get an even better look at the two potions that were closest to us and one was easy to pick out. I remembered going over while studying for OWLs, even though we hadn't needed to, and that was the bright yellow one that sort of smelled like peppermint: Elixir to Induce Euphoria. Just then I caught the fantastic sort of rainy forest smell that could have only been Sirius' cologne and half expected him to be right behind me, but when I turned around he was sitting on the other side of the table beside ours with James. It was then that I saw the spiral of steam rising out of the cauldron beside their table and was now, with the movement in the room, coming towards us. Breathing in once more, I caught the smell of photo negatives and soft leather as well, but Sirius' cologne was by far the one I could pick out the most and I was completely content with that.

Inhaling once again, I gave a lazy smile when the stream cut off as someone moved past and instantly the contentment was pretty much gone as I watched a certain Ravenclaw fill the empty seat at the Marauders table. Looking at the back of her head over my shoulder, I just caught Sirius smiling to her before focusing in on me and it quickly dropped. Narrowing my eyes slightly, I flipped back around and looked to the Hufflepuffs that had sat across from us.

"Now then," Slughorn began. "I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at as you all know. These are the kinds of things you ought to be able to make after completing your NEWTs. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?"

He gestured over to the cauldron by our table and I along with a number of others rose their hand. "Mrs. Evans," He chose his favorite and of course she answered correctly. After all, Potions and Charms were her best classes, though honestly she was good at everything except for Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology. "It's bright yellow color and distinctive aromatics give it away."

"Excellent Miss. Evans," He complimented. "Now, who can identify this beauty," he pointed to the cauldron beside the boys and once again I and a number of others raised their hand, but he called Her; the Ravenclaw at the table behind me, Valerie Abel.

"Amortentia," she answered, "the most powerful love potion in the world. It's mother-of-pearl sheen and spirals of steam tell it apart from others. Including the fact that it smells different to everyone."

"Fantastic, Miss. Abel," he nodded then turned to the cauldron placed in front of the other Ravenclaws and the Slytherins, one that I was just able to see as we came in and caught the bright green color and sweet smell. One that I believed was Wiggenweld potion, and was proven right just moments later when Slughorn called on Snape.

"…It's used as an antidote for a magically induced sleep, like one for the Draught of Living Death."

"Very good, Mr. Snape," Slughorn grinned, "five points to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin." Holding out my hand with a smile to Lily, she gave me a low five as he continued. "And that is exactly what we will be making today; the Draught of the Living Death. The one who prepares the best potion will receive the prize of this Felix Felicis." He grabbed the small vial and held up the golden liquid. "Enough for one lucky day. Off you go!"

With a scuffle and shuffle of cauldrons and scales everyone set about to try and win the prize. Flipping open my book to the page that he wrote up on the board I looked to the most complicated potion I had ever tried to make, that any of us had tried to make. Following the instructions, I grabbed a Sopohorous bean from my supplies and worked to cut it just as all the others in the class were doing. Holding the jumping shriveled bean in place, I pressed down the knife just the slightest bit when it flew off the table. Quickly I dove out of the way, and it flew over my shoulder only to hit Valerie in the back of the head, much to my delight before bouncing off. With ease, James reached up and grabbed it with his Chaser skills.

"Sorry," I quickly apologized, but it most likely didn't come off sincere because of the poorly hidden smile and rushed around to James. "Thanks," I grinned and took it, gripping onto it tightly.

"Yup," he continued to chuckle along with Sirius and Remus though I wasn't sure if it was at me or Valerie, maybe both. Holding the bean down tighter against the table, I cut into it without hesitation and before either half could attempt to scramble away, I squeezed the juice I could get out into the small bowl before moving onto chopping up the Valerian Root.

By the time Slughorn announced, "and time's up. Stop stirring, please." I thankfully had a pretty decent potion that was a sort of light purple-green color, which was better than the sticky dark green goop that I saw in that the Hufflepuff's cauldron across from me. Though, Lily's was the clear winner at the table with a very light purple, almost clear concoction.

Moving around the room, he silently appraised them and adding in just a humorous smile here and there until coming to the boys table. "I'm pleased to see that you actually put your brains to good use, Mr. Black," he complimented and as he stirred Sirius' potion I just caught sight of a very nice potion that looked near to Lily's expertise, if not better.

Wrinkling my nose in annoyance, I turned back to my own and waited until he came by and gave one of his appraising nods. Before moving about to the rest, "now it was clearly between three of you: Mr. Black, Miss. Evans, and Mr. Snape." Just shaking my head slightly, because of course it was the three of them; the only difference that would have made it better would have been if it was James instead of Sirius. Debating with it for a few minutes, he finally turned to Sirius. "Mr. Black, come up and get your prize."

With a victorious smirk he step up and rolling my eyes, I turned back to my cauldron to start cleaning up.


End file.
